Progress Report 9 – April 9th, 2019

1. Previous goals from project assignment:

•  We sought to finalize the prototype for the 3D basin that we would be using as a casing for the GelMax absorption pads.
• We also wanted to conduct end-stage characterization experiments on our GelMax + basin apparatus in order to confirm our hypothesis.
• Design and submit the poster for the Design Day symposium.

2. What we did to accomplish these goals:
   • We spoke with several centers on the Vanderbilt campus to begin the 3D printing of the basin. We finally chose the printer in the Engineering and Science Building.
   • We finished our final experiments  testing absorption at different concentrations.
   • We added a unique feature, which we call the FlowCone, that is able to prevent blood from pooling in the middle. The cone shape pushes all of the blood to the periphery where it can be absorbed by the GelMax.

3. What went wrong; what we need help on; what we did not accomplish:

• We realized that our biggest restraint is the printing size limitation of the 3D printer. So, we decided to scale our device down for the purposes of demonstration to almost a quarter of the size.
• We also realized that the banking angle of the device dictates how much blood is absorbed by the GelMax. We attribute this to changes in the surface area available.

4. How we can fix errors; how we can accomplish unfinished goals:

• We will now need a final assembly of the prototype, including securely fastening the GelMax absorption pads to the basin.

5. Additional goals for next week; how we’re going to accomplish them
   • We will meet with our advisors for the last time to receive final approval for the device.
   • We would like to find a way to fasten the GelMax to the basin without ruining its absorption capabilities.
   • See if we can disprove our leading theory that there is a constant volume of blood absorbed no matter what concentration it is in.